


for the message may be hidden

by s-kiz (pigalle)



Series: Chan's very shitty month, thank you very much, universe [3]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Bang Chan-centric, Canon Universe, Drowning, Gen, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Minor Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Nightmares, Overworking, Sharing a Bed, i took liberties with the drowning, it's in nightmare but also drowning under preassure, we're finally getting there - as in it is hinted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22099384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pigalle/pseuds/s-kiz
Summary: Chan is getting tired. Both from lack of sleep, but also at the nightmares of drowning that keeps him from sleeping
Relationships: Bang Chan & Lee Minho | Lee Know
Series: Chan's very shitty month, thank you very much, universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1590139
Kudos: 110
Collections: Hurt/Comfort Bingo - Round 10





	for the message may be hidden

**Author's Note:**

> and once again, this was written in just one day - same day as the last piece, actually. don't get too used to this update rate, I don't even know myself what happened or how I've managed
> 
> one more angst part before the cuddling!

When he wakes, the room still pitched in darkness, the sweat making his clothes cling to him is too strong of a reminder. Too much of a reminder of the water, of his flailing, his desperate attempts to reach the surface.

He sits up, shaking his head and his body, trying to rid himself of the memory.

Changbin is still sound asleep in the bed on the other side of the room. That's good, must mean Chan wasn't being loud in his sleep.

He throws a look at the clock, the numbers 5:36 staring back at him.

He can't go back to sleep, but it's still much too early to get up. He got back a little while after 2am, probably didn't fall asleep until 3am.

Scrubbing his hands over his face, Chan sighs. He's too shaken, his hands unable to stay steady. He might as well get up, do something productive. With the show finished, their following days are a bit calmer, but it wouldn't hurt to be a little ahead.

(If Minho or Felix, or just anyone had been awake, they would tell him to rest, that he deserves — that he  _ needs _ — a break. But they aren't awake.)

Shaking himself more awake he stands up, quickly rummaging for some clothes before heading to the bathroom. He needs to get the sweat off, and after the other week’s … happenings, he feels self conscious to go too long without a shower, or leaving sweat drying on his skin.

He waits for the water to heat up, trying to ignore how the sound of it hitting the shower floor makes his skin shudder as if thousands of tiny insects crawl all over him. It will be fine, he tells himself.

After as quick of a shower as he can manage he gets dressed and heads over to the couch. He can’t do any work in his bedroom, the light needed for it could possibly wake Changbin up. And even if Chan is unable to sleep, Changbin still deserves to. ( _ So do you _ , a part of him tells himself.)

He gathers the notebook from where he last left his backpack in the hall, and turns on the floor lamp next to the couch. He worked mostly on producing and composition yesterday, and even if Changbin and Jisung helps out with most of their lyrics it wouldn’t hurt to get some more done. Now that he can’t sleep, either way.

—————

He stirs some time later, his muscles coiled tight in tension and anxiety, only the hint of a memory of the dream he must inevitably have had. He startles when something moves next to him, not having realised he wasn’t alone.

“Morning,” Minho says, sipping on a cup of steeming tea. “Why are you sleeping out here?”

There is no judgement present in his tone, but Chan can guess he’s trying to keep it down in an effort to make Chan actually talk. “Woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep,” Chan explains, his voice gritty with sleep. “Thought I would get some work done.”

“Doesn’t look like you did,” Minho says, raising on immaculate eyebrow. “Looked more like you were having a nightmare.”

Chan sits up straighter ( _ hah, as if he’s straight _ ) and frowns. “Was it really that noticeable?”

“So I was right,” Minho says and masks his smug look with a sip of his tea. Chan can still easily see it.

“You don’t have to look so happy about it,” he grumbles, lightly knocking his shoulder against Minho’s.

“I’m not,” Minho protests, suddenly serious. “I wish you didn’t have any nightmares, considering how hard it already is for you to sleep. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

—————

They film a vlive in the dorms that evening, meaning Chan has to go home early. He’s reluctant to leave the studio, but one begging look from Felix is all it takes for him to come along.

After they’ve finished the vlive and have had dinner, Changbin mostly bully him into going to bed, stating that he knows Chan has been getting few hours of sleep lately.

He flails awake just after midnight, panting for breath. There was that dream again, where he’s surrounded by water, unable to find the surface. It feels mocking, some kind of manifestation or punishment from how he feels like he’s drowning under responsibilities while awake, handling both the leader and producer role in their group. He feels guilty from how much he lets it affect him.

He knows it will be fruitless trying to sleep again so soon after waking up from the nightmare, instead sealing himself to the fate of another sleepless night.

He almost runs into someone in the hallway on his way over to the couch. They both flail out their arms to avoid falling, but ultimately fails and ends up in a messy pile of limbs on the floor, Chan on top of who turns out to be Minho.

“Why are you awake,” Chan asks, standing up and reaching down a hand to help Minho up.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Minho answers, accepting the helping hand.

“I asked first,” Chan says, petulant despite himself.

“Woke up thirsty, decided to get up and have a glass of water. Now, your turn.”

Chan rubs his neck and looks anywhere but at Minho. “Nightmare again. Thought I’d get some work done.”

“Fuck no.” Minho grabs his hands and pulls him along down the hallway before Chan can reprimand him for swearing.

Minho pulls him into his room, and pushes him down to sit on his bunk. “Lay down,” he whispers and lets go of Chan’s hand. He disappears somewhere — Chan is unable to tell in the darkness of the room — but returns just a few seconds later to push on Chan’s shoulder. “I told you to lay down.”

Chan finally complies, raising an eyebrow in question, but Minho probably can’t see it. He just lays down next to Chan, adjusting the blankets he uses to shield his bed, until they are absolutely swallowed by darkness. Chan feels a blanket being draped over him and then an arm around his waist as Minho settles against his side.

“I find that the darkness helps me sleep,” Minho whispers, only centimeters away from Chan’s ear. It makes his skin tingle, not unpleasantly. “You know, I usually bully Felix into cuddling when I have a hard time sleeping.”

Chan makes a noise, not sure himself what he means with it.

Minho chuckles and settles against Chan’s shoulder. “Go to sleep, hyung.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on sns:
> 
> [tumblr](https://s-kiz.tumblr.com/)  
> [amino](https://aminoapps.com/c/straykids/page/user/s-kiz/ng7z_rxsofVn712kdDeagPXrQNr55Ld4V0se)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/bangpeachchan) (that i barely use)


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